On 2006-04-24 01:26, AndrewL wrote:
This is a very simple question, I hope. The flash synch connection on my Speed Graphic had two prongs. where can I get an adaptor that will allow me to use my regular flash lights (Bowens)?

"just fire it (them) with the test button on the flash unit(s) after the shutter opens."

That sounds like it won't so useful for doing portraits. I've ordered a bi-post to PC connector from Lens & Repro and it will be interesting to see whether I can, and can't, do with the focal plane shutter. I have several lovely barrel lenses that i won't to use on the Speed Graphic and it would be great if I could them, for portraits, with flash.

I've ordered a bi-post to PC connector from Lens & Repro and it will be interesting to see what I can, and can't, do with the focal plane shutter. I have several lovely old barrel lenses (Dallmeyer, Som Bertiot etc) that I want to use on the Speed Graphic and it would be great if I could use them, for portraits, with studio flash lights (Bowens).

AndrewL,
Meter the ambient light in your studio that you will be posing your model(s) in. Now caculate the exposure it would take to correctly expose the film you plan to use at this light level. Next set up your studio strobes and caculate the exposure for them.

Set the Speed's FPS to "T", trip the shutter and allow a second for the vibration to subside, fire the strobes, then close the shutter. F stop controls the exposure for the strobes while Time controls exposure for the ambient. IF the ambient exposes at a faster rate than you can trip/fire/close the FPS then turn the lights down or off to achieve the desired time frame to work in.

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I must confess, I'm struggling trying to fully understand what you've written. However, with the aid of the Polaroid back, I'm sure I'll get there. Just to have to wait for Lens & repro to deliver the right connector.

Am also waiting for a Satin Snow ground glass. The one I'm currently using is a bit of a lemon.

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I must confess, I'm struggling trying to fully understand what you've written. However, with the aid of the Polaroid back, I'm sure I'll get there. Just to have to wait for Lens & repro to deliver the right connector.

Am also waiting for a Satin Snow ground glass. The one I'm currently using is a bit of a lemon.

Thanks once again.

Charles told you that you can use open flash with the focal plane shutter in a darkened room. If that will do what you need, wonderful. If not, you'll have to give up for the moment on using your barrel lenses with flash.

Depending on the barrel lens' focal length, you may be able to mount it in front of a leaf shutter. And then you should be able to do what you want with little effort.

Portraiture with electronic flash may just be possible on 4x5 with a 6" lens in front of a #1 Compur/Copal, more possible with a larger shutter. An 8" lens mounted in front of a #1 should allow portraiture with flash and no vignetting. With an Alphax or Betax or Ilex #1, I think you'll be set even with a 6".

Remember that x sync can be added to leaf shutters that don't have it.

The Bi-Post connector next to the Focal Plane Shutter will fire a flash. The curtain has a metal strip next to each slit that shorts the Bi-Post contacts which causes the flash to fire.

Flash duration of electronic flash is very short and the curtain travel over the 4 inch height of the film plane is relatively slow.

On a Pacemaker Speed the only selection is low/high on the governor selector and no other tension setting can be done.

On Anniversary and SLR Graflex cameras the tension can be set seperate of the curtain slit.

On both type cameras "T" stands for TIme and "O" for open.

To fire and set off a flash on the Pacemaker for "O" the shutter must be wound to "T" so that the film is covered then on triping the shutter as the "O" slot just starts to enter the film plane the Flash fires and in the case of an electronic flah the flash dies off long before the "O" slot fully opens the film plane 6to light. A second trip of the shutter is required to cover the film again so that it is not exposed to light futher.

A full power setting on a 300ws to 500ws studio strobe may fully expose a sheet of film equivelent to 1/4 power setting on the strobe if used on a leaf shutter. Test to find out just what you will get but it will not be full setting of the strobe or the film may be bright on one side and dark on the other.

Charles

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